Beaverhead County, Montana: hazard risk
FEMA rates Beaverhead County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 42.9 of 100, higher than 42% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by avalanche, winter weather. Its storm record holds 607 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Relatively High | 93.6 | $1.8M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 86.1 | $220K |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 92.7 | $60K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 70.0 | $1.6M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64.0 | $288K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85.7 | $2.2M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 84.3 | $480K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 39.1 | $44K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 36.3 | $3.1M |
| Hail | Very Low | 12.5 | $30K |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 11.7 | $0 |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 9.9 | $4K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 6.8 | $24K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 6.8 | $33K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 5.0 | $4K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 202 | 0 | $194K | 46th of 56 | 2558th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 139 | 0 | $2K | 50th of 56 | 1960th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 101 | 0 | $995K | 46th of 56 | 2819th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 53 | 0 | $19K | 54th of 56 | 2872nd of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 33 | 0 | $51K | 9th of 56 | 510th of 2,972 |
| Extreme cold | 29 | 1 | – | 41st of 56 | 2510th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 17 | 0 | – | 47th of 56 | 2260th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 13 | 0 | $210K | 55th of 56 | 3024th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 0 | $13M | 25th of 56 | 2786th of 3,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 4 | 1 | – | 21st of 56 | 380th of 2,278 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Beaverhead County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.